The Daily Telegraph. WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 1881.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3074, 4 May 1881, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 1881.

The Municipal Public Workß Committee did right on Monday night to refer Mr Lamb's water extension scheme to the Council. No recommendation wae accordingly made with respect to it. A sub-comroittee will be appointed to go over the estimates of the cost, and tbese being highly satisfactory, through allowing in all cases a wide margin for variation of market prices, the rest will be left to the Council. As a matter of fact neither the Works Committee nor the Council is in a position to pass judgment upon a scheme the peculiar merits of which demand professional knowledge to detect. The Committee would, however, have had the benefit of Mr Lamb's assistance, which in open Council could not be had ; but, armed with the information thus obtained, the public will have the advantage of it. Had the committee adopted the ordinary course, a bald recommendation would have been made, which probably would have been accepted with little or no discussion. Aβ it is now the whole scheme will be discussed, and the people will learn the manner in which it is proposed public money is to be spent. There can be little doubt but what Mr Lamb's proposal will be agreed to, and there can be no question as to the approval of the ratepayers. A slight difference of opiuion may arise respecting some of the minor details, but in the main with the general scheme no fault can be found. We understand that a new pumping engine will hare to be procured, the present one aot being powerful enough to force the nater to the height of the proposed reservoir. It is of course a question whether an engine just capable of doing the work, and no more, shall be purchased, or whether one sufficiently powerful to meet all possible demands from it be obtained. This must be settled between the Council and the engineer. We are of opinion that the more expensive article of the two would be the cheapest in the end. An engine constantly worked up

to its full power must of necessity sustain more wear and tear than one from which so much is not required. This,' however, i* a mere matter of detail* arid does not affect the principle of the scheme. The proposed site of the new reservoir is in the large paddock above Storm's gully, and would be constructed near tbe corner of Lighthouse-road. The land, we believe, is a portion of the Fitzgerald trust estate, and would have to be.acquired most'likelj under the provisions of the Public Works Act. The most gratifying feature of Mr Lamb's scheme, apart from its professional beariqg, is its cheapness, and this offers (he best guarantee to residents on the hills that they will have a part of the loan spent in supplying them with water.